Accomack County, Va. - Eastern Shore arsonist Charlie Smith was sentenced for the 68 charges of arson and and conspiracy to commit arson that he pleaded guilty to back in October of 2013.
Smith will serve a total of 15 years in prison.
On each of the 55 counts of Class 4 felony arson, he received 10 years in prison. Those sentences will be served concurrently for a total of 10 years. On one count of Class 5 felony arson, he received three years in prison, which will be served consecutively. On three counts of Class 6 felony arson, he received one year for each count, which will be served concurrently for a total of one year. And for nine misdemeanors, he will serve 12 months for each count, which will be served concurrently for a total of one year. This adds up to a total sentence of 15 years.
Smith and partner Tonya Bundick were responsible for the majority of more than 70 arsons targeting unoccupied structures that had occurred in Accomack County between November 2012 and April 2013.
Bundick originally pleaded not guilty to more than 60 counts of arson. She faced having separate trials for every count. By the time her third trial came around, Bundick had already been sentenced to 10.5 years. At her second trial, she entered Alford Pleas for the 61 remaining counts. She was sentenced to an additional seven years in prison, bringing her total sentence to 17.5 years.
Smith confessed his role in the fires to investigators following his arrest in April 2013, however Bundick has maintained she knew nothing about them
MORE RELATED LINKS:
Were there any copycats during the Eastern Shore arson spree?
Accomack arson suspect takes the stand
First look at Accomack arson suspect’s taped police interviews
Eastern Shore serial arson suspect pleads guilty
Suspect in Eastern Shore arsons pleads not guilty
Accomack arson suspects indicted by Grand Jury
Facebook comments may have led to at least one of the Eastern Shore arsons
Accomack arson suspect: ‘I knew we were busted before we did it’
Man accused in Accomack arson investigation: ‘I’m sorry, but I didn’t light them all’
Weeks after serial arsons arrests, fear still lingers in Accomack County
Eastern Shore arson suspect denied bond, reportedly admits to starting most of the fires
Bond denied for man accused in Accomack County arson investigation
